What 131 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Ev6

Component/System Failure: The i-Pedal feature in the Kia EV6, designed for one-pedal driving through regenerative braking, consistently fails to stay engaged. This component is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk:The erratic behavior of the i-Pedal function poses a significant safety risk. When the i-Pedal mode disengages unexpectedly, drivers must abruptly switch to using traditional brakes. This sudden transition increases the likelihood of delayed reactions and potential accidents, especially in heavy traffic or complex driving situations. Problem Reproduction/Confirmation: The problem has been widely reported by multiple users on forums and confirmed through personal experience. It has been noted that the i-Pedal mode disengages when the vehicle is stationary or when the battery is fully charged. Inspection by Authorities: The vehicle has been inspected by a dealer, but the issue persists due to a lack of awareness or understanding of the i-Pedal system among service personnel. No inspections by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives have occurred yet. Warning Lamps/Messages: There are no warning lamps or error messages indicating the malfunction of the i-Pedal feature. The issue is typically observed when the vehicle unexpectedly exits i-Pedal mode, requiring the driver to manually re-engage it using the steering wheel paddles. Assessment of the Incident:The inconsistency in the i-Pedal system's engagement appears to result from potential software bugs, sensor malfunctions, or design flaws in the regenerative braking system. This unreliability significantly impacts daily driving safety and efficiency. Recommendation 1. Software Update: Kia should release a firmware update to ensure the i-Pedal mode remains stable and reliable under all driving conditions and even after vehicle is turned off and back on.

NHTSA ODI 11589474

On [XXX], I went to charge the car at the Katy Mills location in Katy Texas. After fully charging the car, I went to visit my sister's house to visit. When I returned to the car it had completely shut down. I would not start and none of the electric components worked. I had to have the car towed to Westside Kia, who offered no assistance with a loaner car. I called three days later and was informed by Sabestian that the ICCU had blown out and the part is on National back order. There are three people in my home who are disabled and two young children who has to be driven to school. Upon further research about this ICCU unit, there is a total of 48,323 Affected Units and Kia Corporate has offered no assistance in buying this car back although it is still under the manufacturer warranty. If anyone can assist me with information on how to best handle this situation, I would highly appreciate it. So far I have paid over 2,000 in car rental fees, in lieu of my medical situation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11586334

Vehicle lost its power while trying to park. It could not be locked either. This is the second time this has happened. The first time, dealership said they replaced the auxiliary battery. When it got towed the second time, the dealership said, we only recharged the aux battery during the last complaint! Now, the dealership does not have anyone who can look into this issue for one week. Added to that, they do not have any loaner cars either! The car has 10,523 miles on it now. Car had 8000 miles during the first incident. We feel this is dangerous, unacceptable quality and not to mention, unbecoming of a vehicle brand not to give us a loaner car and expect us to wait a minimum of 10 days to figure out the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11584277

2023 EV6 - The car gave a warning to check the electrical system. Called the dealer and they said to drive it to them. One minute later the tortuous symbol came on as well as the 12v battery. The car had no power even when the accelerator was pressed fully. Parked the car and the dash shut down. Towed the car to the closest Kia dealer and they diagnosed it as a faulty ICCU and Main Fuse. Only ONE in the entire United States. Unknown date of fix. Left me stranded as well as in a dangerous position.

NHTSA ODI 11582116

Factory installed 12V battery died at about a year's ownership and about 22,000 miles, leaving me stranded in a remote area. I was fortunate to have a jump start pack to get home. I had the battery tested at an auto parts store and it failed. I replaced it with a lithium car battery with a built-in monitoring system that can be read from the phone. The car routinely runs the 12V battery down to about 50% while driving, then charges it up to 100%. This cycling behavior destroys 12V batteries.The monitor built-in to my lithium 12 V battery shows 26 complete charge/discharge cycles in the 2 months it's been installed. Cars should not fully discharge the 12V battery when being driven

NHTSA ODI 11581318

Vehicle does not reliably handle the 12V battery well. Many times, I see it sitting at 12.8 VDC when driving the vehicle. On a ICE vehicle, the charging voltage is close to 14V when running/driving. On 3 separate occasions, when I tried to "start" the EV6, the 12V battery was too dead to allow the car to be started. Basically stranded. This can be life threatening if this occurs in frigid temps. Or a hazard to traffic if/when the car tells you to "pull over safely, immediately". OK, I can "block the box" because my car died??? Kia and Hyundai need to address this issue that's common to their recent "luxury" EVs. With all the high-tech these cars have, why can't it manage the charge-state of the 12V battery? Tesla vehicles do not have this issue (I believe). Tesla EVs do "lose" their 12V battery over time, but that is similar to the 12V battery that eventually dies in a regular ICE vehicle. This 3rd time that this occurred, I called 800-KIA and had the car towed. So far, "they cannot reproduce the problem".

NHTSA ODI 11581040

Car was in garage and tried to start it. Would not start, although the dash lit up briefly and it showed the main EV battery was at 49%. Message then appeared on dash stating that 12 volt battery was discharged. Car then went completely dead electrically. No electrical power of any kind. Had car towed to KIA dealership and they have so far not been able to fix it. It is under warranty. There is a Kia recall, SC302, which seems to fit the problem with my car, but my specific VIN number is not on the recall list. The dealership ran diagnostics and said 12volt battery passed their tests. I suspect maybe a ICCU problem and that my car should be on the recall list, but is not.

NHTSA ODI 11580731

For about 6 weeks, after driving the car for more than 2 minutes, turning the car off and then coming back into the car within several hours (like when picking up kids from daycare, grocery shopping, going to restaurant, etc) results in no sound regardless of source, including ALL alert sounds for collision, blind spot, cross traffic, literally any and all sounds inside the car. Resetting the infotainment using the small reset button does not work. Unplugging and then replugging any fuses does not work. The only solution is after the car is turned off for several, typically 4 or more, hours. This is incredibly dangerous not just for the alerts, but because it renders Bluetooth calls impossible, resulting in having to use the phone manually while driving after trying to disconnect the Bluetooth connection. Others online have reported needing the amp replaced in order to solve the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11578775

Issues with 12v battery dying with only 8,000 miles on vehicle. Knowing Kia requests an all day testing of the battery prior to replacing the 12v, I replaced it with a higher quality one. My car still did not start not long after that. Lots of folks online with similar issue and feels like Kia needs to do a recall with a known good fix. Blame put on 3rd party apps when it’s a design flaw.

NHTSA ODI 11577208

12v battery failure. Unable to start car, needing tow or jump to get to dealer for repair. 2/17/2024 towed 2/24/2024- jumped by AAA couldn't get appointment till 3/11

NHTSA ODI 11577008

Component/System Failure: The main components that failed or malfunctioned include the vehicle's charging system and battery management system, leading to significant range discrepancies and charging issues. Additionally, the coolant system issue suggests a failure in the vehicle's cooling system. These systems are available for inspection upon request to further diagnose and address the underlying problems. Safety Risks: The safety of the vehicle's occupants and others was put at risk due to the potential for being stranded in unsafe or remote locations, as experienced on [XXX], in Pennsylvania. The inability to reliably charge the vehicle and the coolant system issue could also pose a risk of overheating, potentially leading to engine damage or failure while in operation. Problem Reproduction/Confirmation: The range and charging problems have been repeatedly reproduced and confirmed by both dealership service departments and independent service centers during multiple service visits. The coolant system issue was also identified and addressed during these visits, indicating a persistent and recurring problem. Inspections: To date, the vehicle and its components have been inspected by dealership service departments on several occasions as part of the attempted repairs. There have been no specific inspections by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others outside of these service visits. Warning Lamps/Messages/Symptoms: Prior to the failure, there were instances of warning messages related to the vehicle's charging system and battery health. The first indications of these issues appeared shortly after purchase, escalating to the point of the vehicle being stranded due to insufficient charge. The coolant system issue was initially noted without specific warning lamps but was confirmed upon inspection during a service visit. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11573888

I leased a 2023 Kia EV6 vehicle and on October 30, 2023, I was 45-60 minutes into my first road trip when a warning displayed in the dashboard followed immediately by a reduction of motive power. The warning displayed was a turtle icon and the words “Power Limited.” Traveling on CA I-5 when this occurred putting me in a very dangerous situation. I navigated several lanes of traffic, vehicle decelerating, to reach the shoulder and pull over then to merge into existing traffic traveling at a high rate of speed only to advance 7-10 miles before the warning display reappeared. I then repeated the process another 7-8 times until I reached my destination. Later that day, again, 45-60 minutes non-stop when the warning display reappears for the second time and I’m forced to repeat the process another 7-8 times to make it to the dealership. I was told the vehicle had a warranty defect in the VCSM which had to be replaced. On January 25, 2024, the issue reoccurred for a third time after and I drove the vehicle directly to the dealership. I was told the diagnostic test did not reveal any codes and they had a service advisor drive the EV6 home, over an hour to see if he could recreate the problem. The service advisor experienced the same issue, twice, and the diagnostic scan did not reveal any codes. My safety and well-being have been compromised on three-separate occasions and twice with a dealership service advisor. I contacted Kia Customer Care Center and opened a case #15946871 and a tech-line case #16141516 was opened with Kia America. NHTSA opened an investigation on the 2022 Kia EV6 and the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 which shares the same E-GMP electric vehicle platform. The investigation confirmed “a range of loss of power and varying time intervals between the warning message and loss of power and all power to the vehicle was subsequently lost, immobilizing the vehicle.”

NHTSA ODI 11573068

On four separate occasions while driving on the highway between July thru November 2023; vehicle has had a loss of motive power (reduced speed) increasing risk of crash. Due to loss of motive power unable to accelerate to get out of way for merging traffic, also when approaching hills on interstate car would slow to speeds of less than 40 mph; unable to accelerate or move out of the way when fast approaching vehicles from the rear. I had taken the vehicle to a dealership on three occasions to seek resolution to only be told all diagnostic testing did not reveal any issues. Dealership has performed updates to the systems as well as recall update for ICCU upgrade, nothing to date has resolved this issue. I’m fearful to drive vehicle on highway that someone will slam into my car potentially causing harm or death.

NHTSA ODI 11573217

1. **Component/System Failure**: The vehicle's cooling system is repeatedly losing coolant, suggesting a leak or malfunction. The system has not been officially diagnosed due to technician availability but is available for inspection. 2. **Safety Risks**: The frequent need to refill coolant raises concerns about engine overheating, posing a potential safety hazard during operation. 3. **Problem Confirmation**: The issue has been consistently observed by the owner, requiring coolant to be refilled three times in 49 days. However, a formal diagnosis by a dealer or service center has been hindered by a lack of available technicians. 4. **Inspections by Parties**: The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or other third parties concerning this coolant issue. 5. **Warning Signs & Symptoms**: No warning lamps or messages have indicated a problem prior to noticing the coolant depletion. The issue was identified only through physical checks of the coolant level.

NHTSA ODI 11570183

In addressing your inquiries: 1. **Component or System Failure:** - The charging system of my vehicle malfunctioned at DC Fast Charger and all charging levels. This can be inspected upon request. 2. **Safety Implications:** - On January 2, 2024, charging issues at a DC fast station resulted in error messages, and on January 8th, I was stranded for 3 hours in cold weather with only 3 miles of range, posing a significant safety risk. 3. **Confirmation by Service Center:** - The issue has been documented with the dealership, but a comprehensive resolution is pending. 4. **Inspections by Others:** - The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives at this point. 5. **Warning Signs:** - Error messages occurred on January 2, 2024, during a DC fast charge, and the severity of the issue became evident on January 8th, resulting in an extended charging time.

NHTSA ODI 11565627

1. **Battery Pack Issues:** - The vehicle's battery pack experienced issues at DC Fast Charger and all charging levels, available for inspection. 2. **Safety Implications:** - Range anxiety began on December 11, 2023, with the vehicle serviced on December 22, 2023, and again on January 10, 2024, for low range due to battery pack issues. On January 8th, stranded for 3 hours in cold weather with 3 miles of range, posing a significant safety risk. 3. **Confirmation by Service Center:** - Two services conducted on December 22, 2023, and January 10, 2024, documented battery pack issues. The manufacturer attributes it to weather without a prior warning upon selling. 4. **Inspections by Others:** - No inspections by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives at this point specifically for the battery pack. 5. **Warning Signs:** - Range issues causing anxiety started on December 11, 2023, well before any service. Services conducted on December 22, 2023, and January 10, 2024, didn't significantly improve battery pack performance.

NHTSA ODI 11565630

The contact owns a 2023 Kia EV6. The vehicle was parked and turned off when the contact opened the door and smelled burned rubber and noticed a hole about ¾ inch deep in the front driver’s seat the size of a nickel. The contact stated that the USB charging port on the vehicle was still active and caused the USB cable to catch on fire. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the dealer was unwilling to repair. The dealer did not believe that the failure was due to an electrical malfunction. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 4,000.

NHTSA ODI 11564167

Hello NHTSA, I hope this message finds you well. I would like to provide specific details regarding the issues with my car as per your guidelines: 1. **Failed Component or System:** The charging system has malfunctioned, leading to extreme range decrease, constant charging failures, inconsistent charging speeds, and signs of overheating. The charging system warning light is on. 2. **Availability for Inspection:** The malfunctioned charging system and associated components are available for inspection upon request. 3. **Safety Risk:** The safety of myself and others is at risk due to the potential for unexpected vehicle breakdowns, especially during charging, and the indication of overheating poses an additional safety concern. 4. **Confirmation by Service Center:** The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but a service appointment has been scheduled to address and diagnose the issues. 5. **Inspections by Others:** The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or other third parties at this point. 6. **Warning Lamps or Messages:** The charging system warning light is the primary symptom, appearing alongside extreme range decrease, charging failures, and inconsistent charging speeds. These issues manifested without prior warning. I appreciate your attention to these specific details and look forward to resolving these concerns promptly.

NHTSA ODI 11561430

The "trial period" of the Kia Connect ended. It was my understanding convenience features would be turned off. However, safety features such as the voice navigation (navigation still works, but you must type in the destination, which is dangerous), voice to text, and who knows what else, has been turned off. I believe this should be addressed.

NHTSA ODI 11560863

El vehículo desde las 500 millas comenzó a encender el aviso de problema en sistema eléctrico , como era intermitente no pudieron arreglarlo , luego el sistema de entretenimiento se apagaba solo , la batería se sobrecalentaba mucho estando apagado y estacionado , por último dejó de recargar la batería , me dejó tirado en medio de la autopista , casi me accidento , lleva dos meses en el concesionario y aún no encuentran el problema

NHTSA ODI 11557357

The vehicle gave the warning to check the electrical system, as a result the battery cannot be recharged.It only accepted the charger for two minutes and then disconnected, now it only says it could not be recharged. They reprogramed it from the MOTOR AMBAR distributor but they did not find the it fails. Now i have a decorative vehicle in my garage and no one knows how to fix it.What if the electrical problem causes a fire in my house ?

NHTSA ODI 11549498

No abrasion, curb marks, track use or drifting (I'm 75 years old). Dealer service declined rotating the tires because mounting this one on the front could increase hazard in event of failure.

NHTSA ODI 11549011

1) AC Compressor and components. 2) Puts me at a health risk because of no AC it’s hot outside. I shouldn’t have these issues with a 2023 vehicle. 3) My vehicle has been sitting at the dealership since June 12th and no one has touched it. 4) The dealership “claims they are just extremely behind, however I think they don’t have anyone that knows how to work on EV’s! 5) Coincidentally, after KIA sent out an over the air update in May is when this started to happen. A loud high pitched voice came from under the hood when the AC was “supposed” to have cut on. They said a supplemental update might fix it, however it didn’t. Now we are two months later with the vehicle sitting in the same spot and hasn’t moved…

NHTSA ODI 11536796

The car starts charging on my level 2 home charger then after about 10-20 min will stop and send me a message saying charging interrupted and will stop charging. I have taken it in to the dealership and they say they can see the code but that they did the recalls for it and it should be fixed. It is not and keeps happening. I am taking it back to the dealer tomorrow so they can look at it again

NHTSA ODI 11535958

This issue has been persistent for at least 4 times a week for the past 4 months since getting the vehicle. The issue starts right after starting and driving the vehicle within about 5 mins after start-up the speakers start making an EXTREMELY loud/piercing abnormal sound while the vehicle is driving or even parked. I immediately have to pull over (while the loud noise is still happening) and turn the car on and over several time hoping the noise stops. The noise is extremely loud and abnormal static noise the entire time the issue occurs. The times it’s happened it would not stop for at least 15 mins, I try turning the car on/off and still won’t stop. This happens randomly and I am forced to pull over immediately while the extremely loud static noise is piercing my ears. There are no warnings prior to the issue occurring, just happens randomly. I’ve let the dealer know about this problem but they seem unfamiliar with the issue and don’t have a solution. We’ve tried updating the software and problem still occurs. According to forums this is a common issue with these vehicle but the dealer does not have a concrete solution.

NHTSA ODI 11533606